Page 6

Story: Raven's Watch

Zain coughed, spitting some of his beer across the counter. “Shit. You didn’t tell him, yet?”
Chase groaned, giving Foster a cautious side eye. “What do you think, dumbass? I was waiting for the right moment. Which you two jerks interrupted when you barged in here, bringing all the rain with you. But thanks to you, now, I don’t have to.”
Foster placed his palm over his heart. “Et tu, Brute?”
“I told you I’d have to get back into the paramedic field eventually.” Chase thumbed at Zain. “Especially if Zain keeps helping out with the renovations. Who knew our master SAR specialist was such a shit handyman.”
Zain gave Chase a playful shove. “Hey, I’m not that bad.”
“You shot yourself with the nail gun.”
“It was only a flesh wound, and that thing was faulty.”
“I guess that drill was faulty, too. And let’s not forget about the Super Glue incident.” Chase grinned at Zain when his buddy flipped him off. “Which all boils down to me needing to stay current and search and rescue offers me the most robust opportunities.”
Foster held up his hand, cutting Chase off. “Don’t even bother giving me the speech. I’ve heard it twice before.” He shook his head. “It’s like rats leaving a sinking ship.”
“Which is your cue to jump back on the horse.” Kash shuffled in beside him. “While I know Atticus is happy we’re all on board, it’s you he really needs. Who he really wants.”
Foster waved it off. “There are plenty of pilots who could do the job.”
“But none he trusts. And after everything that went down with his son last year…”
Foster scrubbed a hand down his face, warring between wanting to smack Kash up the side of his head and knowing his buddy was merely trying to emphasize the old man’s position. But the last thing Foster needed was more guilt. He already had a lifetime’s worth of it weighing him down, so heavy it threatened to crush him into the ground some days.
But Kash had a point. Foster was all too aware of what Atticus had been through. How his son, Josh, had been killed when a rescue mission had turned into a shootout with Josh’s own crew gunning him down. Daniel Shaw and Brad Newport. Two former military men and guys who should have been rock solid. The authorities suspected Josh was on the wrong side of a drug smuggling deal and got caught in the crossfire. And the eerie similarities between that incident and Foster’s last mission hadn’t been lost on him.
Kash muttered something under his breath, giving Foster’s arm a pat. “Hey, I didn’t mean?—”
“It’s fine. And you’re right. I understand how hard it must be for Atticus to trust someone he can’t personally vouch for. Though, I thought you said he’d just hired a new pilot?”
“I think they arrived last night. He was pretty hush hush about it. But that’ll only cover half the shifts.”
“Half? What about that Henry guy you’ve been working with?”
“Bastard quit. Got offered some cushy job for a private air ambulance firm down south. Which leaves this new guy to cover it all.”
Foster nodded, knowing there wasn’t really anything else to do or say. It wasn’t that he didn’t miss flying. He’d gotten his pilot’s license at sixteen and had never looked back. With his dad having served as an Army Ranger for twenty years, opting for the Air Force had always been Foster’s end goal. And it wasn’t as if he hadn’t experienced his share of loss during his career. But losing Sean that way…
It had changed him in ways he couldn’t describe. Knowing it was his fault. That if he’d reacted quicker — all but barrel rolled that chopper before he’d gotten clipped twice in the shoulder — his team might have subdued Stein and Adams before anyone had gotten hurt. Before Sean had sacrificed himself to shield Foster because his friend firmly believed Foster was the only one who’d had the skills to get the rest of the team out alive. Who could fly them through the storm while countering the attack chopper that had appeared out of nowhere.
What Foster believed was part of Stein’s agenda. The last piece in his and Adams’ escape plan and what had been their signal that it was time to launch their attack.
It didn’t matter if Foster hadn’t agreed. Sean had taken the choice out of Foster’s hands and now…
Now he was left battling a ghost.
Kash gave him another pat, looking as if he was going to apologize — or worse, sympathize — when a horn cut through the thunder and rain, the loud noise shaking the glass in the old wooden windows. Footsteps sounded on the gravel path before the door crashed open, Atticus Parker’s formidable silhouette filling the doorway.
He swiped his hood off his head as rain ran down his jacket, pooling beneath his muddy boots. He pointed at Foster’s team, his weathered face twisted into a snarl. “Don’t just sit there chugging beer, grab your damn gear and run your asses out to your trucks. I’ve got a van full of tourists hanging by some rocks and roots on the bypass up here. And if we don’t get them out in the next five minutes, the whole rig’s gonna careen down the embankment.”
Kash and Zain were on their feet and heading for Zain’s truck before Atticus’ voice had even faded, Nyx racing behind them. Chase paused just long enough to zip up his med kit and sling it over his shoulder, nearly colliding with Atticus as he followed the others out. He tossed his bag into the rear cab then jumped behind the wheel of his truck.
Both vehicles were already moving by the time Foster snagged his coat, meeting Atticus at the door. “Guess this means I’m riding with you.”
Atticus grunted, then turned, making his way to the driver’s side. He didn’t talk, just waited until Foster hopped in beside him before spinning the truck around — driving down the muddy road. Water ran in braided trails through the rocky dirt, spraying across the doors with every bounce. Atticus got to the main road then turned left toward town, still sitting in utter silence beside Foster.
Foster lasted two minutes before he glanced over at the man. While he wouldn’t call Atticus a friend, he’d worked under the former colonel several times throughout his career while with different Joint Special Operation Commands. And Atticus and Foster’s dad, John Beckett, had been Army Rangers together for a dozen years. Which was likely the reason Atticus had picked Raven’s Cliff to start up his new venture. There was safety in numbers and Spec Op guys tended to stick together.